This invention relates generally to remote control systems, and, more particularly, to remote control systems of the kind having a central control unit or encoder for transmitting a single sequence of control pulses to a number of separate remote decoders.
In systems of this particular kind, the central control unit typically produces a sequence of voltage pulses for transmission to the various remote units either separately or on a common transmission line. Each remote unit counts the successive pulses it receives, and, when a predetermined count is reached, it performs a predetermined function, such as turning on or off an associated device.
Systems of this particular kind are useful in a number of different fields, including, for example, the emergency jettisoning of stores on military aircraft, the emergency shutdown of arrays of sensitive equipment, and the sequential detonation of explosive charges in geophysical prospecting. In such applications, it is extremely important that a number of different events occur in a predetermined sequence, at specific, well-defined time intervals. In the case of an emergency stores jettison system, for ejecting a number of remote stores (i.e., releasable weapons and external fuel tanks) from an aircraft on an emergency basis, the relative timing of the ejections must be closely controlled to prevent dangerous collisions. Accordingly, a high reliability of performance is essential.
There is therefore a need for a remote control system that can properly perform a number of remote tasks in a prescribed sequence and at prescribed time intervals, and in a highly reliable fashion. In particular, there is a need for such a system that can properly perform the tasks even when individual elements of the system might fail. The present invention fulfills this need.